THE Sporting de Braga guaranteed, at the end of this Thursday afternoon, qualification for the playoff to the single league phase of the Europa Conference League, by eliminating the Belarusian side Dinamo Minsk. On the trip to Bulgaria, where the Belarusian team set up camp to compete in European competitions, the Minho team saved a goalless draw.
After the victory by the minimum margin last week at the Braga Municipal Stadium, in Pedreira, thanks to a goal from team captain Ricardo Horta, the team coached by Carlos Vicens presented themselves at full strength at the Beroe Stadium, in the Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora, as a result of the short lead they had since the first leg in Portugal.
What remained of the first half in Bulgaria was a weak game with little or no story. Both teams canceled each other out in the first half, with Sporting de Braga clearly comfortable and managing the first leg advantage.
The Portuguese team had the most desire to try to score on Bulgarian soil and had two opportunities to open the scoring in the initial stage.
First, in the sixth minute, Pau Victor took Abdulahii out of the way with a great heel touch, but then he was unable to finish. On the verge of half-time, VÃctor Gómez crossed after a studied free-kick, the ball was deflected and goalkeeper Shimakovich saved it forward. In the meantime, the VAR was analyzing a possible penalty for the Minho team, which was not called.
Ricardo Horta shot at the post and the penalty was reversed
The second half practically started with another great scoring opportunity for the Minho team. In the 48th minute, Spaniard Pau Victor assisted Ricardo Horta inside the Belarusian area and the Minho team captain threw the ball into the woodwork.
Soon after, and in the 56th minute, the referee of the match, the Romanian Szabolcs Kovacs, signaled a penalty kick in favor of Sporting de Braga for alleged handball by Roman Begunov. However, the move was reversed using VAR, as the Belarusian right-back’s cut was made with his head.
Dinamo Minsk seemed to wake up after this reversed penalty and had the first big chances in the match after the hour mark. First, in the 63rd minute, Leonard Gweth took advantage of a mistake by VÃtor Carvalho and only a mistake from Bernardo Fontes prevented the Belarusians from scoring. Three minutes later, Vladislav Kalinin shot inside the area for the Brazilian to save.
Moustapha Djimet also tried his luck from outside the box in the 71st minute, before Demir Tiknaz appeared alone in the face of Ivan Shimakovich and he made a huge save. VAR came into action again to analyze a possible penalty against Fran Navarro in the 80th minute, but nothing was awarded.
Having qualified for the next stage of the competition, Sporting de Braga will now face Austria Vienna, who eliminated Beitar Jerusalem.
(News updated at 10:19 pm)
